17 March 2019

On the contrary, evidence strongly suggests that there have been few, if any, terrorist attacks by atheists in the past forty years. Even so called “militant” atheists choose debate and computer keyboards, not guns.

In the past forty years, terrorism has been almost exclusively religious-terrorism inspired by and wielded in the cause, defence and name of religion.

Claims that "terrorists do not represent our religion" and all religions are "religions of peace" are the craven responses of hubris ridden, self-aggrandisers claiming, with no evidence, that there is a perfect, all powerful supernatural being which above all else loves and justifies them, personally; the subtext being that If everything is God's will, humans (especially believers) conveniently cannot be guilty of anything.

More craven still is the subtext which more than implies that theists, the religious, those who believe in God, by definition cannot BE terrorists. Convenient indeed.

"Terrorists Don't Have A Religion”? On the contrary, in our lifetime they are rarely, if ever, without one.

Often wonderfully, too often tragically,Anything human is complexityUpon complexity, upon paradox on toastShadows have shadowsGhosts have ghostsSo I narrow my viewBeing careful not to tiltSo leave complexity to the few willingTo handle, at least a little, collective guilt

Another man of the peopleI feel safer in and with the crowdFifty millennia proud and strong; I narrow my view,Empirically it compounds the problemsBut it makes me feel it’s easier to get on

11 May 2017

The Appropriate and Honest Response to “Does God Hate Queers?” is, “There Is No Evidence Of God”.

The question, “Does God Hate Queers?” is dishonest, cynical and dishonourable in that it attempts to give legitimacy to a lie: the lie that we know God exists. The religious speak of "religious belief" but demand that the object of that belief be accepted as a fact. Belief is not evidence. "But there MUST be a God" is not evidence of God.

God is wielded by those wishing to present an unimpeachable authority for their views, beliefs, actions, attitudes, politics, behaviours, discriminations, abuses, lazy reasoning. The audience are expected to respond with "Well, if God says it's OK ... it must be OK". Substitute "Agnabobbal" for "God" and the responses would be "What is Agnabobbal?" "Does Agnabobbal exist?" "Before you crucify this guy on the authority of Agnabobbal please supply evidence that Agnabobbal exists and is not just a cynical and lazy justification for you to do whatever you want with universal approval".

In the name of Agnabobbal I suggest a more rigorous and honourable approach to discrimination, reasoning, and morality.

25 December 2016

I don’t "celebrate" Christmas. I recognise it as a holiday and employ and enjoy it as such. Some years I manage cards and gifts (though not this year) but I don’t “celebrate” Christmas.

I do “commemorate” Remembrance Day/Armistice Day. If I’m at home on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month I have the TV tuned to the broadcast from The Cenotaph in London. I stand for the commemorative silence.

I like Christmas for the children with their presents for being good (even if they weren’t good all of the time; who is?) but Christmas as a reinforcement of the lie that is theism (the rejection of personal responsibility for our moral judgements) is for me, like all religious holidays, a reminder of our continuing betrayal of human potential.

Taking control means taking responsibility. The buck stops with the maker of the rules. Theism claims morality is handed down to us by God. Theists claim God makes the rules. Theism is the mechanism by which theists shift the responsibility for our moral judgements from our shoulders to the imagined shoulders of God. That process is "the rejection of personal responsibility for our moral judgements".

Dinosaurs existed for 175 million years. Anatomically modern humans (the sub-species Homo sapiens sapiens) have existed for 200,000 years. Hopefully, within the next 200,000 years we will have gained sufficient courage to celebrate human potential by universally accepting personal responsibility for our moral judgements. That celebration I would happily be part of.

10 January 2014

War here is endlessAnd we have learnedHaving people to hateAnd killing them makesUs feel superiorIn controlWe have the powerTo RapeMutilateDictateWarHas beenAnd isGoodFor usWhy would we stopWe will notStop